Clueless New Yorkers Gather To Watch USNS Comfort Arrive, Completely Missing The Point

While some New Yorkers have been isolating themselves and following social distancing guidelines during the coronavirus pandemic, others in the city are being reckless regarding others’ welfare.

On Monday morning, the USNS Comfort arrived in New York City’s harbor. The hospital ship with approximately 1,000 patient beds is expected to take the non-COVID-19 patients at city’s hospitals across all five boroughs in an effort to free up space. New York City has over 36,000 reported cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, as of Monday morning. Seven hundred and ninety people have died of the disease.

The USNS Comfort seen sailing to New York Harbor from a NYS escort vessel.

The Comfort brings 1,000 much-needed hospital beds & 1,200 personnel to New York. I'll be in NYC to receive a briefing upon its arrival. pic.twitter.com/VpHpjymsow

Ahead of the ship’s arrival in the Hudson River, dozens of New Yorkers gathered on Manhattan’s west side to watch it arrive.

Photos from Getty Images that were also posted on social media show crowds of people gathered on Monday, most of whom are not maintaining six feet of distance from others as advised by health experts to limit the spread of the virus.

A crowd seen gathering to welcome US Navy hospital ship at New York City on March 30, 2020. (Photo: NurPhoto via Getty Images)

USNS Comfort arrived at Pier 90. It has a 1,000-bed capacity, which will be augmenting New York City hospitals. (Photo: NurPhoto via Getty Images)

COVID-19 is thought to spread between people who are in close contact with one another, which the CDC identifies as “within about six feet.” The disease can also transmit through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

The ease of transmission is the reason why residents of New York state, which has become the global epicenter of the pandemic, are being directed to stay home through April 15.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) also announced on Monday that New York state now has more than 66,000 cases of the coronavirus.

Those in the crowd must have missed the irony that they were putting themselves at greater risk of infection to see a ship that was there only because the city was struggling to contain infections.